Renewable Energy Calculator
Enter your monthly electricity use and country. See how much CO2 you would avoid by switching to renewable energy sources. Based on 2025 grid emissions data from the IEA and Our World in Data.
Your Electricity Use
Grid intensity: 369 gCO2/kWh (23% renewable)
Check your electricity bill
Your annual CO2 emissions from grid electricity:
Medium intensity3.99 tons CO2/year
3,985 kg per year (332 kg/month)
By switching to 100% renewable, you would save:
3.99
tons CO2/year
9,963
miles of driving
19.9
short-haul flights
That's like planting 190 trees for one year of carbon absorption.
How to switch: Most utilities offer renewable energy plans (varying by country). Solar panels for homes pay back in 6-12 years. Community solar lets renters participate. Carbon offsets are a partial alternative.
Methodology: Grid intensity values from IEA Electricity Information 2024 and Our World in Data. Driving equivalence uses 400gCO2/mile (average US passenger vehicle). Tree absorption: 21kg CO2/year per mature tree. Numbers are approximations for educational purposes.
How this works
Every country's electricity grid has a different carbon intensity, measured in grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Countries with lots of renewables and nuclear (Iceland, Norway, France) have low intensity. Countries with heavy coal use (Poland, South Africa, India) have high intensity.
Renewable electricity (solar, wind, hydro) produces near-zero direct CO2 emissions. By switching from your country's grid mix to 100% renewable, you save the entire current emissions of your usage.
Real-world context
- Average US household uses ~900 kWh/month
- Average UK household: ~280 kWh/month
- Average Indian household: ~90 kWh/month
- 1 ton CO2 ≈ driving an average car for 2,500 miles